Zanoosh grabs Grade 1 glory for Murphy Colm Murphy has another star mare on his hands after Zanoosh ran out a gutsy winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon. The Harzand mare had rattled off four successive victories prior to the Grade 1 test today and went to post a 9/2 shot in the two-and-a-half mile contest. She followed Place De La Nation through when that rival led turning for home and had to dig deep when switched by Brian Hayes to launch her challenge going to the last. The six-year-old put her head in front over the final flight and galloped on strongly on the run-in to post a length-and-three-quarters success. Colm Murphy’s charge was rated just 112 when her winning sequence began at Punchestown in December, but following handicap and Listed wins at Navan she secured a Grade Three prize at Limerick last month, earning her this step up to the highest level in pursuit of the five-timer. Place De La Nation emerged best of a five-strong team for Willie Mullins, bidding to claim this race for the fifth year in succession and 10th time overall. While Murphy is of course no stranger to big-race success, having trained superstars like Brave Inca, star mares Feathard Lady, Voler La Vedette,and Impervious, and Big Zeb, his last Grade One winner was over 14 years ago. A delighted Murphy said afterwards:- “It’s fantastic, and the manner in which she did it. “In fairness she’s answered every question we’ve asked her this year. “You’re never confident coming to a Grade 1 but we were probably never happier with her coming here. Whether she was good enough or not was the next question. “We still don’t know how good she is. She has a lot of ones after her name and she’s similar in that way to the others (Grade 1 winners I’ve had). “She showed us plenty as a youngster. She won a bumper well and we probably kept her going then when we shouldn’t have. It was tempting when she had so much ability. “She’s done nothing but improve for the summer break and this year she’s been a revelation. It’s fantastic for everyone at home. “The hardest part is trying to find these ones and it’s so satisfying when you do get a nice one and she looks like she could be very good. “The year that was in it we had to keep running her on heavy ground. She’s a good actioned filly so we had no reason to believe she wouldn’t go on nicer ground. “She just has plenty of ability I’d say. “The syndicate goes back to Brave Inca days. Oran Crean has been with me from day one and we’ve had a lot of nice horses along the way. “We picked her up as a three-year-old at the Land Rover sale. She was 41,000 and she looks a good buy now.” When asked if she’d go to Punchestown he added:- “There is every possibility. We’ll see how she comes out of it. “I thought after Navan that you wouldn’t see her again and then we ended up at Limerick. In fairness she’s improving every day and if she improves again I don’t see why you won’t see her.” On future plans he said:- “I’ve been talking about mares chases all along. There will be a few questions to be asked next year about where we go. “There is no reason she won’t jump a fence, she’s been schooled over them. “There are plenty in the syndicate and everyone will have their opinion.” Zanoosh didn't travel to Cheltenham and he said:- “Everyone wants to have a winner over there and when you have something good enough to go it’s hard not to go. “Probably the right thing for her was not to go.”
